This invention relates to postmix beverage dispensers and in particular to an automatic beverage dispensing system.
Various techniques are known for providing automated systems for dispensing soft drinks including the use of conveyor type systems whereby cups are automatically introduced to a continuously moving conveyor which receives the cups and processes them forward through a cup filling station, a cup capping station and a cup discharge station. The cup filling means travels forward synchronously with the conveyor belt while filling the cups and a discharge station is provided for automatically lifting and transferring the cups. Other techniques provide elaborate approaches for fulfilling each phase of a drink dispensing system such as at the ice dispensing station, the cap dispensing and sealing station and the beverage dispensing station. See prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,590,975; 3,530,907; 4,098,058; and 4,319,441.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic beverage dispensing system that overcomes many of the disadvantages of the prior systems.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic beverage dispensing system operating with remote point of sale units with order entry keyboards, and that can alternatively be operated manually using buttons on the dispenser itself.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic dispenser with two different sets of conveyor systems, including a transverse conveyor and a plurality of straight, parallel, forward conveyors.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an automatic dispensing system with a transverse conveyor for carrying cup cradle from a cup drop and ice drop station to one of a plurality of forward conveyors, which then carry the ice-filled cup to a fill station and then to a pick-up station.
It is another object of this invention to provide an automatic control system for an automatic dispenser which includes means for automatically dropping the selected size of cup and then conveying it through a plurality of stations to final pick-up station whereby the correct amount of ice and the correct beverage and the correct quantity of beverage is dispensed into the cup.